An Australian man was accused on Saturday in Singapore for making a bomb threat aboard a flight to Perth that caused the plane to turn around while being escorted by fighter jets.
Hawkins If found guilty, 30-year-old Kevin Francis may spend up to 10 years in prison, pay a fine of up to Sg$500,000 ($356,000), or both.
On Thursday, one hour into the flight, Singapore’s low-cost airline Scoot’s flight TR16 was forced to do a U-turn and return to the city-state.
Fighter jets from Singapore’s air force were dispatched to escort the aircraft back, and it safely landed. The threat was deemed bogus by the police.
Francis, who was not identified at that time, was arrested by police who boarded the plane.
He allegedly told a member of the cabin crew “I have a bomb” during the flight, according to the charge sheet.
He also “uttered the word ‘bomb’ repeatedly” to another cabin crew member.
Despite knowing the threat to be false, Francis wanted to make the cabin crew believe “that a terrorist act will be carried out”. He committed an offence under the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Regulations, the charge sheet said.
The Australian, who was dressed in an olive green T-shirt, said he understood the allegations after viewing them through video conference and hearing them from the district court.
He had a beard, appeared melancholy, and spoke slowly.
Before his case is heard again on October 27 the court ordered that he be remanded to the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks of psychiatric observation.
During Saturday’s proceedings, he asked if he could get “an airplane ticket back to my home country in Australia” but was told it was not possible at this time.
His plea to address the court was also turned down.
Singapore Airlines’ low-cost division is called Scoot.
After bomb threats in 2022, 2019 and 2018, Singapore’s air force previously sent fighter jets to escort commercial aircraft.
